Related Stories

It was only 144 seconds of potential panic this time, but Nazem Kadri could not tell a lie about the thoughts drifting up and down the visitor’s bench at the Bell Centre.

With a 4-2 lead late in the third period of a choppy game Tuesday night, the Leafs were in danger of crashing their way into the new season the same way the previous one had ended with a thud.

Lars Eller had scored his second of the game at 17:38 of the third and, suddenly, a cruise-control win morphed into throat-constricting crunch time.

The stakes were much lower than Boston in May, of course, but opening night always holds its own special cache. So a big pad save by James Reimer in the final minute here and a lack of panic there and, this time, the Leafs escaped with a grinding, 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

Never pretty and, at one point, rather gruesome, a third-period goal from Leafs newcomer Mason Raymond stood up as the game winner, giving Toronto a fourth consecutive win over its Original Six rival.

It was not without sweat and nerves in those final moments, however, on a night where winning the special teams battle provided the final margin.

“It was pretty dramatic, but we stuck in there,” Kadri said of the conclusion, which included a big Reimer stop seconds before the clock expired. “Obviously, everyone kind of tightened up. We were under a little bit of pressure there, but we made sure we were communicating and everyone was responsible in their own end. We’ve done a lot of work in our D-zone for situations like this, preparing ourselves.”

It turned out to be a wildly eventful day at the Bell Centre from start to finish. It began with a mega-contract extension for Leafs leading scorer Phil Kessel, turned sickening when Canadiens enforcer George Parros was taken from the ice on a stretcher and ultimately ended with a Leafs win to kick off their new life in the NHL’s new-look Atlantic Division.

The two teams combined for 33 first-period shots in an end-to-end shinny fest that looked fast and fun, but was tough for the coaches to watch.

“First games are rough,” said Leafs bench boss Randy Carlyle, who is 4-0 versus the Habs in his time behind the Toronto bench. “We’ve got some defensive work to do for sure. We’re fortunate we were on the right side of the game.”

The only reason they were, arguably, was because of the special teams that are such a priority to Carlyle. First up was a power-play goal 8:01 into the game from James van Riemsdyk on a five-on-three and then Tyler Bozak’s pickpocket of Habs defenceman Andrei Markov that led to a short-handed breakaway goal in the third period.

“Early in the season, special teams usually have a huge impact on the success or failure of your group,” Carlyle said. “Tonight, I thought special teams was the difference in the game.”

The Parros incident was the latest chapter in a long history of violence with Leafs enforcer Colton Orr. At 2:34 of the third, the two tough guys dropped the gloves once again and, as Orr was falling toward the ice, he grabbed Parros’ jersey for balance.

Parros, who was trying to land one last punch on Orr, then tumbled over his Leafs rival and bounced off the ice, chin and jaw first. After a lengthy delay, Parros was taken from the ice on a stretcher and eventually to a local hospital for observation.

Less than three minutes later, Raymond attempted to pass to another new Leaf, David Bolland, on a two-on-one. When the puck bounced off the leg of a Montreal defenceman and back to his stick, all Raymond had to do was deposit the puck past Carey Price, who had already committed to the other side of the Montreal net.

The 4-2 lead looked to be enough as the Leafs played their most responsible hockey of the night for more than 12 minutes. Grinding it down low and chewing time off the clock, the Leafs seemed headed to an easy win until Eller’s second of the game — on an unassisted breakaway off a Leafs turnover — beat Reimer and made life a little too interesting.

“The important thing is we got the two points,” said Kadri as the team hustled to catch a late-night charter flight to Philadelphia, where they will take on the Flyers Wednesday night. “We were prepared to handle the situation.”

And off to a winning, if not flying, start.

CARLYLE PLAYS HUNCH

For decision No. 1 in the goaltending sweepstakes, Leafs coach Randy Carlyle played a hunch.

Banking on James Reimer’s past success at the Bell Centre, where he is now 3-0 after Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Habs, the coach gave the incumbent the nod over Quebec native Jonathan Bernier.

Reimer was solid, if not spectacular, making 34 saves for the win and at least validating the coach’s call.

“(The coaches) gave me a chance and I wanted to make the most of it and play hard for my teammates,” Reimer said. “When I’m in there during games, I’m not competing against anybody on my team, I’m competing for my teammates, not against the guy beside me.”

Though Carlyle has preached a “win and you’re in” strategy for his goaltenders, in the early going anyway, it’s expected Bernier will make his Leafs debut Wednesday night in Philadelphia to counter the grind of back-to-back games.

Given the struggles on defence at times in the opener, might Carlyle at least ponder giving Morgan Rielly his first career start? The rookie blue-liner was the Leafs’ lone healthy scratch on Tuesday.

Sponsored Links

Maple Leafs edge Canadiens in season opener

The morning started with his roommate hitting it big, but Tyler Bozak made sure he had a big part in the Leafs’ opening-night story.

The team’s No. 1 centre and roommate of the now famously rich Phil Kessel used his breakaway speed and his shootout touch to give the Leafs a lead and, ultimately, a 4-3 victory in their season opener.

Add an excellent return to the net from James Reimer and the Leafs once again got the measure of their historic rival on opening night.

Capping an eventful day at the Bell Centre and a busy off-season for general manager Dave Nonis, the Leafs defeated the Habs on opening night for the fourth consecutive year to kick off their membership in the new Atlantic Division with style.

Add in a third-period goal from speedy new winger Mason Raymond — which stood up as the game winner — and a solid and poised effort by Reimer, who drew first blood in the training camp battle for lead man in net, and the Leafs took control of the game.